Hi Jason

Fauna I have recorded using  arboreal termite mounds include Kookaburra's (nesting and raised 2 young), Sacred Kingfisher (nesting), Brown  Treecreeper (nesting), Lace Monitor (nesting), Diamond Python, Squirrel Glider, Sugar Glider, Common Ringtail Possum and Perons Tree Frog.  I recall someone chasing similar information a while ago but never came across anything published as a result of this.  I think this resource is probably more intensively utilised in areas with low density of natural hollows, but this is based on anectodal observation rather than looking into it in more detail.  I often include arboreal termite mounds when doing habitat tree surveys as they do provide a sheltering / nesting resource for tree hollow dependent fauna.  Hope that helps.

Michael

I've often wondered if fauna such as Squirrel Gliders, Microchiropteran bats and Stephens Banded Snake for instance, utilise the hollows excacated in arboreal termite nests. I've nearly lost an eye from Forest Kingfisher's and Eastern Rosellas ducking out of holes as I've looked in when setting Elliot Bs, and also had that  thought of wondering if there was a snake ready to lunge out as I've done this too, having seen many Red-Bellied Black snakes in trees as a kid.

I've also spend a few idle moments on a Wednesday afternoon comtemplating sticking an IR camera in one and have a look, but never had the time either to build the camera from Ebay components, or come across a suitable nest within range of a 6m ladder. We've also been recently monitoring clearing for the Pacific Highway upgraded on the Mid North Coast where a few termite nests have come down, but not found anything exciting (though this may be due to the policy of clearing surrounding veg and leaving hollows, etc for 48hrs to given fauna the hint to get out of Dodge).

in the literature I've read (eg Gibbons and Lindenmayer 2002), I've not seen anything concrete evidencing threatened species using these habitat components, yet I've always recommended trees with such nests be retained on a precautionary basis (much to the dismay of subsequent builders who eye the nests as termite threats to wooden frames).

Interestingly, I've also observed a number of birds using hollows excavated in large elkhorns and staghorns. I've seen a range of ducks and Kookaburras nesting in hollows and on top of big clumps (ducks only in the latter), and even some frogs in cavities when can be quite large. I've also found some scats of rodents and Brushtail Possums, and noted some quite convuluted catacombs mined in big elkhorns (>1.5m wide).

So, in the interest of wildlife managment and pooling information that we as wildlife managers share to inform our decisions (and justify to clients, Councils and the LEC), can anyone qualify the significance of these habitat components to threatened species?